Wake Up, I'm Fat!

Ok, I'm a Camryn Manheim groupie. I think she's a good actress but she really sucked me in with her talk show appearances. She's so very articulate and fun. So, when her book hit the stands, I grabbed it and then proceeded to gobble it up. It reads like a letter from an old friend. When I got done, I wanted to call her up and tell her how great it was and ask when we could meet for lunch. I'm sure she has some fatal flaw but I don't want to know about it.

It's a funny story how I found this book.I went to a used bookstore and there it was...in the bargain bin.Needless to say, I had to rescue this book from being thrown away.I paid a quarter for this book and I haven't been sorry for buying it at all.Why do I love this book? Because unlike other plus size women, she doesn't apologize for how she looks but instead, she praises being healthy.I definitely understand where she is coming from because I'm a plus size woman and I know how cruel society can be. Also, she talks about everything from her name change to working on "The Practice", which is definitely a big step for plus size women everywhere.After I read her book, I began to think about my own body and how I sometimes feel out of show more place around thin women.Once I finished, I realized that it doesn't matter what other people think of your body, it's what you think of your body that counts.This is a book that I feel every girl and woman should have an opportunity to read.Not only will it inspire plus size women and girls, but it will also give new insight to those who have never understood what it is to be "fat". show less

It's a funny story how I found this book.I went to a used bookstore and there it was...in the bargain bin.Needless to say, I had to rescue this book from being thrown away.I paid a quarter for this book and I haven't been sorry for buying it at all.Why do I love this book? Because unlike other plus size women, she doesn't apologize for how she looks but instead, she praises being healthy.I definitely understand where she is coming from because I'm a plus size woman and I know how cruel society can be. Also, she talks about everything from her name change to working on "The Practice", which is definitely a big step for plus size women everywhere.After I read her book, I began to think about my own body and how I sometimes feel out of show more place around thin women.Once I finished, I realized that it doesn't matter what other people think of your body, it's what you think of your body that counts.This is a book that I feel every girl and woman should have an opportunity to read.Not only will it inspire plus size women and girls, but it will also give new insight to those who have never understood what it is to be "fat". show less

While serving as Camryn Manheim's autobiography, this book is more about her experiences and struggles with female body image in America, which continues to devalue and dehumanize millions of people through discriminatory practices and prejudiced behaviors. Manheim's life story is both funny and poignant, and ultimately uplifting as she ultimately manages to make a career as an actress against stereotype. This isn't quite a "Hollywood Insider" book (unless you want the dirt about crafts service during Romy and Michele's High School Reunion), but it's an enjoyable and endearing read even if you aren't directly interested in body politics or feminism.

A candid and funny look at Camyrn Manheim's beginnings up through her winning an Emmy for The Practice. Very real and moving--significantly tells the story of how fat people are perceived in a country that values slimness.

Manheim recounts her life from drama school to winning an Emmy for best supporting actress in a drama for her portrayal of a lawyer in "The Practice." Throughout her life, Manheim has struggled with prejudice because she is fat. Sassy and independent, she has finally triumphed over her critics and become an advocate for equal treatment of people of all sizes. Funny & thoughtful.

I really like this book as Manheim is one of my favorite actresses and she is not a bad writer. This is an honest, straight-forward biography.